Be sure to include your name, daytime phone number, address, name and phone number of legal next-of-kin, method of payment, and the name of the funeral home/crematory to contact for verification of death.

Mobile, Alabama: 5 free things for visitors

MOBILE, Ala. – Mobile is that “other” city on the northern Gulf Coast, the one that sometimes gets lost between the beaches of the Florida Panhandle and the nonstop party of New Orleans. Local promoters call it “secretly awesome.”

No, Mobile doesn’t draw millions of tourists annually. But the bayside town drips with Old South charm and has plenty of things to do, some of the best of which don’t cost a dime.

With a quaint downtown that’s situated on Mobile Bay and framed by huge oak trees with gnarly braches, Mobile and the surrounding area offer visitors a variety of free activities.

FORT CONDE

The city’s welcome center, Fort Conde is a red-brick recreation of the French fort that protected Mobile for a century until 1820, when the original was demolished to clear land. Exhibits explore life in colonial Mobile and include artifacts from Indians and early European settlers who shaped the area.

CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Consecrated in 1850 before the Civil War, the basilica is the home of the oldest Roman Catholic parish on the Gulf Coast. With twin bell towers, stained-glass windows, a vaulted ceiling and columns adorned with gold leaf, the church fronts Cathedral Plaza, a shady spot for an afternoon rest along Dauphin Street, Mobile’s low-key answer to Bourbon Street.

Downtown streets are lined with homes and businesses with balconies and fences made of lacy-patterned ironwork.

MOBILE BAY

Fish for flounder. Cast a net for mullet. Kayak in the marshes. Watch pelicans glide over the water. Sit on a park bench while a 1,000-foot-long (300-meter-long) freighter glides past. Stroll past waterfront mansions in nearby Fairhope. Gawk at the USS Alabama, a World War II battleship. Mobile Bay is 32 miles long (52 kilometers) and empties directly into the Gulf of Mexico.

OAKLEIGH GARDEN DISTRICT

One of seven nationally recognized historic areas in Mobile, the Oakleigh district is within walking distance of downtown hotels and features scores of homes dating back to the 1800s and early 1900s. Neighbors mingle on shady front porches and stroll along sidewalks cracked by the roots of huge live oaks and magnolia trees.

BAYOU LA BATRE

Less than 30 miles (48 kilometers) from downtown Mobile, Bayou La Batre is mentioned in the movie “Forrest Gump” as the hometown of character “Bubba” Blue. In real life, the town of 2,600 is a major seafood processing center. It’s also a photographer’s dream with a drawbridge, small boatyards, and a large fleet of colorful shrimping trawlers.

Editor's Choice Videos

Join the Discussion

The Wichita Eagle is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere on the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.